Charmed Moulin Rouge
by RoadToAvalon
Summary: COMPLETE!Leo is a penniless writer who travels from London to Paris to become a Bohemian writer. When he becomes the writer of the new play for the Moulin Rouge, he meets the love of his life, Piper... Sorry for the Satine in between... Will change that :
1. Chapter 1

**A/N yet another story from my hand.. I love the story of Moulin Rouge... and thought it would fit perfectly for Piper and Leo :D and here's the result, Enjoy!**

**Chapter One**

There was a boy  
A very strange, enchanted boy  
They say he wandered very far, very far  
Over land and sea  
A little shy and sad of eye  
But very wise was he...  
And then one day  
One magic day  
He passed my way  
And while we spoke of many things  
Fools and kings  
This he said to me...  
'The greatest thing you'll ever learn  
Is just to love...and be loved in return.'

_The Moulin Rouge . . . a nightclub, the dance hall of the bordello. Ruled over by Darryl Morris. A kingdom of nighttime pleasures. Where the rich and powerful came to play with the young and beautiful creatures of the underworld. And the most beautiful of all these was the woman I loved, Piper, a courtesan. She sold her love to men. They called her the "Sparkling Diamond", and she was the star... of the Moulin Rouge. The woman I loved is... dead. I first came to Paris one year ago. It was 1899, the summer of love. I knew nothing of the Moulin Rouge, Darryl Morris or Piper. The world had been swept up in the Bohemian revolution. And I traveled from London to be a part of it. On a hill near Paris was the village of Montmartre. It was not as my father had said. _

**Leo's Father:** A village of SIN!

_It was the center of the Bohemian world with musicians, painters, writers. They were known as the "Children of the Revolution." Yes, I had come to live a penniless existence. I had come to write about truth, beauty, freedom and that which I believe in above all things... LOVE. _

**Leo's Father:** Always this ridiculous obsession with love!

_There was only one problem - I'd never been in love! Luckily, right at that moment an unconscious Argentinean fell through my roof. He was quickly joined by a dwarf dressed as a nun. _

**Toulouse:** How do you do? My name is Henri Marie Raymond Toulouse-Lautrec Montfa. I'm terribly sorry about all this. We were just upstairs rehearsing a play.

**Leo:** What?

_A play, something very modern called "Spectacular, Spectacular." _

**Toulouse:** And it's set in Switzerland.

_Unfortunately the unconscious Argentinean suffered from a sickness called Narcolepsy. _

**Toulouse:** Perfectly fine one moment then suddenly SNORT, SNORT unconscious the next.

**Doctor:** How is he?

**Audrey:** How wonderful now that narcoleptic Argentinean is now unconscious. And therefore the scenario will not be finished in time to present to the financiers tomorrow.

**Satie:** Quick Toulouse, I still have to finish the music.

**Toulouse:** We'll just find someone to read the part.

**Audrey:** Oh where in heavens will we find someone to read the role of the young sensitive Swiss poet Goatherd?

_Before I knew it, I was upstairs standing in for the unconscious Argentinean. _

**Doctor sings:** The hills are animated with, the euphonious symphony of descant...

**Audrey:** Oh stop, stop, stop, stop that insufferable droning is drowning out my words. Can we please just stick to a little decorative piano?

_There seem to be artistic differences over Audrey lyrics to Satie's songs. _

**Doctor:** I don't think a nun would say that about a hill

**Satie:** What if he sings "The hills are vital intoning the descant"?

**Doctor:** No, no, no, the hills are…

**Argentinean:** The hills are incarnate with symphonic melodics.

**Leo:** The . . . the hills . . .

**Doctor:** The hills are chanting . . .

**Satie:** The hill . . .

**Leo sings:** The hills are alive with the sound of music!

**Argentinean:** "The hills are alive with the sound of music!" I love it!

**Satie:** "The hills are alive with the sound of music". It fits perfectly!

**Leo sings:** With songs they have sung for a thousand years!

(bohemians gasp)  
**Toulouse:** Incandiferous! Audrey, you two should write the show together.

**Audrey:** I beg your pardon?

_But Toulouse's suggestion that Audrey and I write the show together was not what Audrey wanted to hear. _

**Audrey:** GOOD-BYE!

**Toulouse:** Yes, your first job in Paris.

**Satie:** No offense but have you ever written anything like this before?

**Leo:** No . . .

**Argentinean:** Ah! The boy has talent. I like him! Nothing funny... I just like talent.

**Toulouse:** "The hills are alive with the sound of music." See Satie, with Leo we can write this truly Bohemian Revolutionay show that we've always dreamt of.

**Satie:** But how will we convince Morris?

_But Toulouse had a plan. (Others whisper "Piper") They would dress me in the Argentinean's best suit and pass me off as a famous English writer. Once Piper heard my modern poetry, she would be astounded and insist to Morris that I write "Spectacular, Spectacular." The only problem was I kept hearing my father's voice in my head . ._ .

**Leo's father:** You'll end up wasting your life at the Moulin Rouge with a can-can dancer.

**Leo:** NO! I can't write the show for the Moulin Rouge!

**Toulouse:** Why not?

**Leo:** I--I don't even know if I am a true Bohemian Revolutionary.

**Toulouse:** Do you believe in beauty?

**Leo:** Yes.

**Doctor:** Freedom?

**Leo:** Yes, of course.

**Satie:** Truth?

**Leo:** Yes!

**Doctor:** Love?

**Leo:** Love? Love. Above all things I believe in love. Love is like oxygen. Love is a many splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love.

**Toulouse:** See, you can't fool us! You're the voice of the Children of the Revolution! You will write of the world's first Bohemian Revolution show!

_It was a perfect plan. I was to audition for Satine and I would taste my first glass of Absinthe. _

**Green Fairy:** I'm the Green Fairy.

**All sing:** "The hills are alive with the sound of music..." FREEDOM... BEAUTY...TRUTH AND LOVE!

**Green Fairy sings:** The hills are alive with the sound of music!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Chappie two of the story... Hope you like it this far... I love the story :D love the movie ,and review :D hinthint**

**Chapter two**

_We were off to the Moulin Rouge, and I was to perform my poetry for Piper. _

**Morris:** MOULIN ROUGE!

_Darryl Morris and his infamous girls. They called them his "Diamond Dogs." _

**Girls:** Voulez vous coucher avec moi? Ce soir? Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, flow sister. Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, flow sister.

**Morris:** When work's an awful bore and living's just a chore (incomprehensible)... death--not much fun. I've got the antidote. And though I mustn't gloat. At the Moulin Rouge... You'll have fun! So scratch that little niggle, Have a little wiggle!

**Morris:** 'Cause you can, can, can!

**Crowd:** Yes, you can, can, can!

**Girls:** Voulez vous coucher avec moi? Ce soir?

**Morris:** But you can't, can't, can't!

**Crowd:** Yes, you can, can, can!

**Girls:** Voulez vous coucher avec moi? Ce soir?

**Morris:** But you can, can, can!

**Gnarly rich men:** Here we are now, entertain us! We feel stupid and contagious.

**Morris:** Got some dark desire? Love to play with fire? Why not let it rip? Live a little bit!

**Morris:** 'Cause you can, can, can!

**Crowd:** Yes, you can, can, can!

**Gnarly rich Men:** Here we are now, entertain us!

**Morris:** But you can't can't, can't!

**Girls:** Voulez vous coucher avec moi? Ce soir?

**Crowd:** Yes, you can, can, can!

**Gnarly rich men:** If you're stupid and contagious.

**Morris:** Outside it may be raining, but in here it's entertaining!

**Morris:** Cause you can, can, can! Cause you can, can, can!

**Gnarly rich men:** Here we are now, entertain us!

**Morris:** Outside things may be tragic, But in here we think it's magic!

**Crowd:** Here we are now, entertain us!

**Morris:** (whispers) The Can-can!

**Crowd: **Because we can, can, can  
Because we can can can can can can can can can  
Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, flow sister  
Gitchie, gitchie, ya ya da da  
Gitchie, gitchie, ya ya here  
Mocha Chocolata ya ya  
Creole Lady Marmalade

**Leo:** Cause it's good for your mind! (he screams)

**Crowd:** Because we can, can, can  
Because we can can can can can can can can can

**Toulouse:** Mission accomplished. We successfully evaded Morris!... It's her! The "Sparkling Diamond!

**Piper:** The French are glad to die for love. They delight in fighting duels.

_But someone else was to meet Piper that night. _

**Piper: **But I prefer a man who lives . . .

_Morris' investor... _

**Piper: **And gives expensive jewels.

_Dan. _

**Piper: **A kiss on the hand may be quite continental  
but diamonds are a girl's best friend  
A kiss may be grand but it won't pay the rental  
on your humble flat... Or help you feed your cat (meow) pussycat  
Men grow cold as girls grow old,  
and we all lose our charms in the end  
But square cut or pear shaped,  
these rocks don't lose their shapes  
Diamonds are a girl's best friend  
Tiffany!

**Dan:** (spoken) When am I going to meet the girl?

**Morris:** (spoken) After her number, I've arranged a special meeting with you and Mademoiselle Piper . . . totally alone.

**Piper: **CARTIER!

**Toulouse:** (spoken) After her number, I've arranged a private meeting with just you and Mademoiselle Piper totally alone.

**Leo:** (spoken) Alone?

**Toulouse and Morris:** (spoken) Totally alone.

**Piper: **Cause we are living in a material world,  
and I am a material girl!  
Black star, Rozz call,  
talk to me Harry Zidler, tell me all about it!  
There may come a time when a lass needs a lawyer

**Morris:** But diamonds are a girl's best friend

**Piper: **There may come a time when a hot-boiled employer think's you're

**Morris:** Awful nice

**Piper: **But get that ice or else no dice

**Toulouse:** (spoken) Don't worry, don't worry, I'll sally forth and get things cleaned up..

**Piper:** (spoken) Is Dan here Darryl?

**Morris:** (spoken)Yes, of course.

**Toulouse:** (spoken) Terribly sorry...

**Piper:** (spoken)Where is he?

**Morris:** (spoken)He's the one Toulouse is shaking his hanky at.

**Toulouse:** (spoken)Excuse me Leo, may I borrow?

**Girls:** Diamonds are a girl's best, diamonds are a girl's best, diamonds are a girl's best friend...

**Piper:** (spoken)Are you sure?

**Morris:** (spoken)Let me peek...

**Toulouse:** (spoken)I'm ever so sorry. Ooh, how embarrassing..

**Morris:** (spoken) That's the one chickpea. (mumbled) I hope that daemonic loon hasn't frightened him off...

**Toulouse:** (spoken) Clean yourself off you bourgeois pig! (he snorts then sees Warner's gun...) Ohh sorry...

**Piper:** (spoken)Will he invest?

**Morris:** (spoken)Pigeon, After spending the night with you, how can he refuse?

**Piper:** (spoken)What's his type? Wilting flower? HMM Bright and bubbly GASP or smoldering temptress? GROWL

**Morris:** (spoken)I'd say smoldering temptress. We're all relying on you, Goslyng... Remember - a real show, with a real theater, with a real audience. And you'll be . . .

**Piper:** (spoken)A real actress...

**Piper: **Cause that's when those louses go back to their spouses. Diamonds are a girl's best friend!

**Piper:** I believe you were expecting me.

**Leo:** Yes, yes.

**Piper: **I'm afraid it's ladies choice. (Leo is confused and stays seated. Piper whimpers) Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow… GRRRRR!

**Toulouse:** I see you've already met my English friend.

**Piper: **I'll take care of it Toulouse. Let's dance!

**Bohos:** That seemed to go well/ Incredible/ He has a gift with the women/ I told you, he's a Genius!

**Morris:** That Dan certainly can dance!

**Piper: **So wonderful of you to take an interest in our little show.

**Leo:** Sounds very exciting, I'd be delighted to be involved.

**Piper: **Really?

**Leo:** Assuming you like what I do of course.

**Piper: **I'm sure I will.

**Leo:** Toulouse thought we might be able to um... do it in private.

**Piper: **Did he?

**Leo:** Yes, you know, a private... poetry reading.

**Piper: **Oh... hmm... a poetry reading? Oooh, I love a little poetry after supper!

**Piper: **Hang on to your hats!

**Piper sings:** Diamonds... Diamonds... Diamonds are a girls best… heavy, stuttering breathing

**Morris:** Nooooo! (pause) Yeahhhhhhhh!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Third Chappie of the story... reaching some nice happenings in the story :D evilgrin**

**Chapter Three**

**Phoebe:** Don't know if that Dan's gonna get his money's worth tonight.

**Girl:** Don't be unkind Phoebe.

-----------

**Morris:** You frightened her away. But I can see some lonely Moulin Rouge dancers looking for a partner or two. So if you can hunk-hunk, you can hunkadola with them.

-----------

**Prue:** Away, away we go quickly.

**Piper: **Oh... Prue, these silly costumes.

**Man:** All right, you girls--get back out front and make those gents thirsty. Problems?

**Prue:** Not for you to be worried about.

**Man:** Let's not stand around then.

-------------

**Dan:** Find Morris, the girl is waiting for me.

-------------

**Prue:** That twinkle-toes Dan has really taken the bait girl. With a patron like him, you'll be the next Sara Burnhart.

**Piper: **Do you really think I could be like the great Sara?

**Prue:** Why not? You have the talent. You hook that Dan and you'll be lining up the great stages at your name.

**Piper: **I'm going to be a real actress Prue, a great actress, and I'm going to fly away from here. (to her bird) Oh yes, we're going to fly, fly away from here!

**Morris:** Duckling, is everything all right?

**Piper: **Oh yes, of course Harold.

**Morris:** Oh thank goodness. You certainly weaved your magic with that Dan on the dance floor.

**Piper: **How do I look? Smoldering temptress?

**Morris:** Oh my little strawberry, how can he possibly resist from gobbling you up? Everything's going so well!

------------

**Toulouse:** Unbelievable, straight to the elephant!

**Piper: **This is a wonderful place for poetry reading don't you think? Hmm... poetic enough for you?

**Leo:** Yes...

**Piper: **A little supper? Maybe some champagne?

**Leo:** I'd rather just, um... get it over and done with.

**Piper: **Oh... very well... then why don't you come down here and let's get it over and done with?

**Leo:** I'd prefer to do it standing.

**Piper: **Oh.

**Leo:** You don't have to stand I mean. Sometimes that - it's quite long. And I-I'd like you to be comfortable. It's quite modern what I do and it may feel a little strange at first but--but I think if you're open then--then you might enjoy it.

**Piper: **I'm sure I will.

**Leo:** Excuse me. The sky is--

**Piper: **Oh... (she is on the bed moaning)

**Leo:** Is... ugh... blue... oh... (blows a raspberry) come on (blows a raspberry) come on (blows a raspberry) I think...

**Piper: **Oh! (moaning)

**Leo:** I might be shaking . . . Oh Tik-e-tik-e-tik-e . . .

**Piper: **Um... is everything all right?

**Leo:** I'm just a little nervous...It just that sometimes it takes a while ugh...

**Piper: **Ohhhh...

**Leo:** For you know...inspiration to come.

**Piper: **Oh yes, yes, yes...Let mommy help, hmm? Does that inspire you? Let's make love!

**Leo:** Make love?

**Piper: **You want to, don't you?

**Leo:** Well I--I... came to--

**Piper: **Hmm, tell the truth. Feel the poetry! Come on... feel it... feel it tiger! (she growls)

**Leo:** Ohhh...

**Piper: **Oh... big boy!

**Toulouse:** He's got a huge talent!

**Piper: **Yes, I need your poetry now!

**Leo:** It's a little bit funny, this f-feeling in-inside. I'm not one of those who can-who can easily hide. Is this-is this okay? Is this what you want?

**Piper: **Oh poetry, yes, yes, yes this is what I want, naughty words. Ohh...

**Leo:** I--I don't have much money, but, boy, if I did I'd buy us a big house where we both could live...

**Piper: **Oh yes, yes...Oh yes... oh naughty!

**Leo:** If I were a sculptor, but then again no. Or a man who makes potions for a traveling show.

**Piper: **Oh...don't...don't...don't...don't stop!

**Leo:** I know it's not much...

**Piper: **Give me more, yes...yes...YES!

**Piper: **But it's the best I can do.

**Piper: **NAUGHTY! DON'T STOP...YES, YES, YES!

**Leo:** My gift is my song  
and this one's for you  
And you can tell everybody that this is your song  
It may be quite simple but now that it's done...  
I hope you don't mind,  
I hope you don't mind...  
that I put down in words...  
How wonderful life is now you're in the world.  
Sat on the roof and I kicked off the moss  
Well, some of these verses, well they,  
they got me quite cross  
But the sun's been kind  
while I wrote this song  
It's for people like you that keep it turned on  
So excuse me forgetting  
but these things I do  
You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue  
Anyway the thing is, what I really mean...  
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen.  
And you can tell everybody that this is your song  
It may be quite simple but now that it's done  
Hope you don't mind,  
I hope you don't mind  
that I put down in words  
How wonderful life is now you're in the world  
Hope you don't mind,  
I hope you don't mind  
that I put down in words,  
how wonderful life is now you're in the world!

**Toulouse:** Looks like he's got the job!

**Piper: **Oh...I can't believe it. I'm in love. I'm in love with young, handsome talented Dan.

**Leo:** Dan?

**Piper: **Oh...not that the title's important of course.

**Leo:** I'm not Dan.

**Piper: **Not Dan?

**Leo:** I'm Leo.

**Piper: **Leo?

**Leo:** Yes, Leo.

**Piper: **No!

**Leo:** Well Toulouse...

**Piper: **Toulouse? Oh no! You're not another of Toulouse's oh-so-talented, charmingly Bohemian, tragically impoverish protégés.

**Leo:** Well, you might say that...

**Piper: **OH NO! I'm going to kill him! I'm going to kill him!

**Leo:** I think there might be a small hitch..

**Leo:** Toulouse told me...

**Piper: **Dan. (she opens the door and sees the duke) DAN!

**Leo:** Dan?

**Piper: **Hide! Out the back.

**Morris:** My dear, are you decent for Dan? Where were you?

**Piper: **I--I--I was waiting.

**Morris:** Dearest Dan, allow me to introduce Mademoiselle Piper.

**Piper: **Monsieur, how wonderful of you to take time out of your busy schedule to visit.

**Dan:** The pleasure I fear will be entirely mine, my dear.

**Morris:** I'll leave you two squirrels to get better aquatinted. Ta-ta!

**Dan:** A kiss on the hand may be quite continental.

**Piper: **But diamonds are a girl's best friend.

**Dan:** After tonight's pretty exertions on the stage, you must surely but in need of some refreshment my dear. (He turns to the drinks table)

**Piper: **DON'T! Don't you just love the view? Hmmm?

**Dan:** Charming. (He turns again)

**Piper: **Oh! I feel like dancing. (she growls and starts to dance)

**Dan:** Would you like a glass of champagne? (he turns yet again to the drinks table)

**Piper: **NO! It's a little bit funny...

**Dan:** What is?

**Piper: **This...

**Leo (mouthing):** ( feeling)

**Piper: **Feeling...

**Leo (mouthing):** ( Inside )

**Piper: **Inside.

**Leo (mouthing):** ( I'm not one of those who can easily... )

**Piper: **I'm not one of those who can easily...

**Leo (mouthing):** ( hide )

**Piper: **Hide. NO! I know I don't have much money, but if I did, I'd buy a big house where we both can live. (opens Dans legs and mimes at Leo to go away)(singing)I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind. That I put down in words, how wonderful life is now you're in the world. (looks at Leo)

**Piper: **That's very beautiful

**Piper:** It's from "Spectacular, Spectacular." Suddenly with you here, I finally understood the true meaning of those words. How wonderful life it now you're in the world.

**Dan:** And what meaning is that my dear?  
(Leo opens the door to leave but sees Warner and quickly comes back in and closes it.)

**Piper: **(throws herself on the bed)NO, NO, NO! Dan, don't you toy with my emotions. You-you must know the effect you have on woman. LET'S MAKE LOVE! You want to make love don't you? I knew you felt the same way! Oh, oh Dan! (Leo is looking at her in a pleading way) Yes, you're right, we should wait, until opening night.  
(Leo has a satified look on his face)

**Dan:** Wait? Wait?

**Piper: **There's a power in you that scares me. You should go.

**Dan:** Go? But I just got here.

**Piper: **Oh yes, but we'll see each other everyday during rehearsal. We must wait; we must until opening night. (closes the door on Dan and turns to Leo) Do you have any idea, any idea what would happen if you were to be found? Oh...  
(Piper gasps and faints)

**Leo:** Oh! Oh my god... Piper?

**Morris:** Let's have a little peek aboo.. (Morris looks through his telescope at Leo shaking Piper, attempting to wake her up) Right on target!

**Leo:** Hello? Wake up... Maybe I'll just put you on the bed.

(Dan enters)  
**Dan:** I forgot my ha-- foul play?

**Leo:** She--I--

(Piper awakes)  
**Piper: **Oh, Dan!

**Dan:** It's a little bit funny this feeling inside?

**Piper: **Beautifully spoken Dan. Yes, let me introduce you to the writer.

**Dan:** The writer?

**Piper: **Yes, oh yes, we were--we were rehearsing.

**Dan:** Oh ho, ho, ho you expect me to believe that in the arms of another man in the middle of the night inside an elephant, you were rehearsing?  
(The Bohos appear from their hiding place)

**Toulouse:** How's the rehearsal going? Shall we take it from the top, eh, my queen?

**Satie:** I hope the piano's in tune. (makes awful sounding chord)

**Argentinean:** Sorry - got held up!

**Doctor:** Can I offer you a drink?

**Zidler:** (looking through telescope) Oh my goodness!

**Piper: **When I spoke those words to you before, you filled me with such inspiration. Yes, I realized how much work we had to do before tomorrow, so I called everyone together for an emergency rehearsal.

**Duke:** If you're rehearsing, where's Morris?

(Morris bursts in)  
**Morris:** My dear Dan, I'm most terribly sorry.

**Piper: **Darryl! You made it. It's all right, Dan knows all about the emergency rehearsal.

**Morris:** Emergency rehearsal?

**Piper: **Hmmm... to incorporate the Dan's artistic idea.

**Morris:** Yes well I'm sure Audrey will be only too delighted.

**Toulouse:** Audrey's left!

**Piper: **Darryl, the cat's out of the bag. Yes, Dan already a big fan of our new writer's work. That's why he's so keen to invest.

**Morris:** Invest? Invest! Oh yes, well invest! You can hardly blame me for trying to hide our...

**Toulouse:** Leo...

**Morris:** Leo away.

**Dan:** I'm way ahead of you Morris.

**Morris:** My dear Dan, why don't you and I go my office to peruse the paper work.

**Dan:** What's the story?

**Morris:** The story?

**Dan:** Well if I'm going to invest, I need to know the story.

**Morris:** Oh yes, well the story's about...Toulouse?

**Toulouse:** Ugh... The story-the story's about it's- it's about um...

**Leo:** It's about love!

**Dan:** Love?

**Leo:** It's about love, overcoming all obstacles.

**Toulouse:** And it's set in Switzerland!

**Dan:** Switzerland?

**Morris:** It's not in Switzerland!

**Leo:** India! India! It's set in India! And there's a courtesan, the most beautiful courtesan in all the world, but her kingdom's invaded by and evil Maharaja. Now, in order to save her kingdom, she has to seduce the evil Maharaja. But on the night of the seduction, she mistakes a penniless po- a penniless a penniless sitar player for the evil Maharaja and she falls in love with him. (he turns to Piper) He wasn't trying to trick her or anything. But he was dressed as a Maharaja because...he's appearing in a play.

**Argentinean:** I will play the tango dancing sitar player. I sing like an Angel and I DANCE... like the devil...

**Dan:** And--and--and what happens next?

**Leo:** Well, penniless sitar player and the courtesan they have to hide their love from the evil Maharaja.

**Satie:** The penniless sitar player's sitar is magical. It can only speak the truth.

**Toulouse:** And-and I will play the magical sitar. (makes sitar noices)(to Piper) you are beautiful. (makes sitar noises)(to Morris) you are ugly, and (to Dan) you are...

**Dan:** And he gives the game away.

**Morris:** Tell him about the can-can!

**Leo:** The tantric can-can... it's an...

**Morris:** It's an erotic spectacular scene that captures the thrusting, violent, vibrant, wild bohemian spirit that this whole production embodies Dan.

**Dan:** What do you mean by that, my dear?

**Morris:** The show will be a magnificent, opulent, tremendous, stupendous, gargantuan, bedazzlement, a sensual ravagement, it will be

**Morris:** Spectacular, spectacular.  
No words in the vernacular  
can describe his great event  
You'll be dumb with wonderment  
returns are fixed at ten percent  
You must agree, that's excellent,  
and on top of your fee...

**All:** You'll be involved artistically. So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for 50 years! So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for 50 years!

**Leo:** Elephants!

**Toulouse:** Bohemian!

**Morris:** Indians!

**Piper: **And courtesans!

**Satie:** Acrobats!

**Argentinean:** And juggling bears!

**Toulouse:** Exotic girls!

**All:** Fire-eaters! Muscle Men! Contortionists! Intrigue, danger, and romance!  
Electric lights, machinery, powered with electricity!  
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for 50 years!  
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for 50 years!  
Spectacular, spectacular!  
No words in the vernacular,  
can describe this great event,  
you'll be dumb with wonderment.  
The hills are alive, with the sound of music...  
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for 50 years!  
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for 50 years!

**Dan:** (spoken) Yes, but what happens in the end?

**Leo:** Ahem! The courtesan and sitar man, are pulled apart by an evil plan...

**Piper: **But in the end she hears his song...

**Leo:** And their love is just too strong.

**Dan:** (horribly off-key) It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside...  
(horrified silence at the Dan's singing)

**All:** So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting, it will run for 50 years!

**Leo:** Sitar player's secret song helps them flee the evil one...  
Though the tyrant rants and rails, it is all to no avail!

**Morris:** (spoken) I am the evil maharajah! You will not escape!

**Piper: **(spoken) Oh Darryl, no one could play him like you could!

**Morris:** (spoken) No one's going to!

**All:** So exciting, we'll make them laugh we'll make them cry!  
So delighting --!

**Dan:** (spoken)And in the end should someone die?  
(stunned silence from everyone)

**All:** So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer! So delighting it will run for 50 years...!

**Dan:** Generally, I like it...!  
(cheers)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_Morris had an investor. And the Bohemians had a show. _

**Toulouse:** It's the end of a century! The Bohemian Revolution is here.

_While the celebration party ragged upstairs, I tried to write, but all I could think about was her. (singing) How wonderful life is... ( Was she thinking about me...? ) (singing) Now you're in the world._

**Piper thinking about Leo:** _Dan? I'm not Dan. I'm a writer. He wasn't trying to trick her or anything - It's about Love! It's about love overcoming all obstacles_

**Piper: **I follow the night  
Can't stand the light  
When will I begin to live again?  
One day I'll fly away!  
Leave all this to yesterday...  
what more could your love do for me?  
When will love be through with me?  
Why live life from dream to dream and dread the day when dreaming ends?

**Leo:** How wonderful life is now you're in the world.  
(Leo leaves his apartment and starts to climb the elephant to where Piper is)

**Piper: **One day I'll fly away  
Leave all this to yesterday  
Why live life from dream to dream and dread the day when dreaming ends?  
One day I'll fly away, fly, fly away.

(Piper turns and is startled to see Leo)  
**Leo:** Sorry, I'm sorry...I didn't mean... I saw--I saw your light on. I climbed up the...

**Piper: **What?

**Leo:** I couldn't sleep and...I--I wanted to thank you for helping me get the job.

**Piper: **Oh, of course. Yes...Toulouse--Toulouse was right. You are--you're very talented. It's going to be a wonderful show. Anyway I--I better go because we--we both have a big day tomorrow. (she turn to leave)

**Leo:** Wait...no, please wait. Before when we were--when we...when you thought I was Dan and you said that you loved me. And I--I wondered if...

**Piper: **If it was just an act?

**Leo:** Yes...

**Piper: **Of course.

**Leo:** Oh. It just felt real...

**Piper: **Leo, I'm a courtesan, I'm paid to make men believe what they want to believe.

**Leo:** Yes...silly of me, to think that you could fall in love with someone like me...

**Piper: **Oh...I can't fall in love with anyone.

**Leo:** Can't fall in love? But a life without love! That's terrible.

**Piper: **No, being on the street, that's terrible.

**Leo:** No! Love...is like oxygen.

**Leo:** (spoken) Love is a many splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love.

**Piper: **(spoken) Please, don't start that again.

**Leo:** All you need is love!

**Piper: **(spoken) A girl has got to eat.

**Leo:** All you need is love!

**Piper: **(spoken)She'll end up on the street!

**Leo:** All you need is love...

**Piper: **Love is just a game...

**Leo:** I was made for loving you baby, you were made for loving me!

**Piper: **The only way of loving me baby is to pay a lovely fee.

**Leo:** Just one night, give me just one night!

**Piper: **There's no way 'cause you can't pay.

**Leo:** In the name of love, one night in the name of love.

**Piper: **You crazy fool, I won't give into you.  
(she tries to leave)

**Leo:** Don't... leave me this way. I can't survive without your sweet love, oh baby...don't leave me this way.

**Piper: **You think that people would have had enough of silly love songs.

**Leo:** I look around me and I see it isn't so, oh no.

**Piper: **Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs.

**Leo:** Well what's wrong with that? I'd like to know, cause here I go again! (Leo gets onto the very top of the elephant. Piper screams...) Love lifts us up where we belong!

**Piper: **(spoken) Get down, get down!

**Leo:** Where eagles fly, on a mountain high!

**Piper: **Love makes us act like we are fools. Throw our lives away for one happy day. (Leo gets down)

**Leo:** We can be heroes! Just for one day...

**Piper: **You, you will be mean.  
(Piper starts to head downstairs)

**Leo:** No I won't! (he chuckles)

**Piper: **And I...I'll drink all the time!

**Leo:** We should be lovers!

**Piper: **We can't do that.

**Leo:** We should be lovers! And that's a fact.

**Piper: **Though nothing would keep us together...

**Leo:** We could steal time--

**Both:** Just for one day. We can be heroes, forever and ever. We can be heroes forever and ever. We can be heroes just because...

**Leo:** I...will always love you!

**Piper: **I...!

**Both:** Can't help loving...

**Leo:** You...

**Piper: **How wonderful life is...

**Both:** Now you're in the world...

**Piper: **(spoken) You're going to be bad for business, I can tell. (they kiss)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Toulouse sings:** (drunk) How wonderful life is, now you're in the world...

----------

_How wonderful life was now Piper was in the world. But in Dan, Morris had got much more than he had bargained for. _

**Dan: **Transforming the Moulin Rouge into a theater will cost a fantastic sum of money, Morris. So in return I would require a contract that...umm...ugh...binds Piper to me, exclusively. Naturally, I shall require some security; I shall require the deeds to the Moulin Rouge.

**Morris:** My dear Dan...I--

**Dan: **Pish!...don't think that I'm naïve, Morris. I shall hold the deeds to the Moulin Rouge. And if there are any shenanigans, my manservant Warner, will deal with it in the only language that you underworld show-folk people understand. Piper will be mine. It's not that I'm a jealous man. I JUST DON'T LIKE OTHER PEOPLE TOUCHING MY THINGS!

**Morris:** I understand completely, Dan.

**Dan: **Now that we have an understanding, it would appear that ugh...you have the means to transform your beloved Moulin Rouge...

**Morris:** INTO A THEATER!

**Dan: **I shall woo Piper over supper tonight.

-------------

**Morris:** We will have created the world's first completely modern, entirely electric, totally Bohemian, all singing, all dancing, STAGE SPECTACULAR! The show must go on!  
(Piper spots Leo and smiles at him. Dan thinks she is smiling at him)

-------------

_Yes, the show would go on, but Satine would not attend the supper that night, or the following night. _

**Leo:** "Tell me you don't love me!" Mad with jealousy, the evil Maharaja forces the courtesan to make the penniless sitar player believe she doesn't love him.

**Toulouse:** Oh yes...

**Leo:** "Thank you for curing me of my ridiculous obsession with love!" says the penniless sitar player, throwing money at her feet and leaving the kingdom forever!  
(Leo gets on the balcony and threatens to jump)

**Piper: **No!

**Toulouse:** Brilliant. Brilliant!

**Piper: **Oh, but a life without love, that's--that's terrible.

**Leo:** Yes, but the sitar player... with the magical sitar...

**Toulouse:** That's my part Leo, that's--that's--that's my part Leo. The magical sitar that can only speak the truth says... he says...

**Leo:** The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.

-------------

(Leo and Piper are kissing)  
**Dan: **A picnic sweet lady?

**Piper: **Oh well, we have so much to do, so much work!

**Dan: **Well if the young writer can carry a blanket and basket, I don't see why you both can't do it in my presence.

-----------

**Leo:** Toulouse, so the magical sitar player falls from the roof...

**Toulouse:** Yes, yes, yes I know. Don't tell me this. "The greatest thing you'll ever...

----------

(Piper and Leo are kissing yet again, when Dan bursts in. They part...)  
**Dan: **Still at it my sweet?

----------

**Toulouse:** master... make... contract...

----------

**Piper: **Oh my dear, sweet Dan. There's so many lines to learn. We've been drilling them them over and over.

----------

_For try as Dan may, it was almost too easy for the young writer and the lead actress to invent perfectly legitimate reasons to avoid him. _

**Leo:** Mademoiselle Piper, I haven't quite finished writing that new scene. The...um... "Will the lovers be meeting at the sitar's player humble abode" scene. And I wondered if I could work on it with you later tonight.

**Dan: **But--but my dear, I've arranged a magnificent supper for us in the Gothic Tower.

**Leo:** Well, it's not important, we--we could work on it tomorrow.

**Piper: **How dare you! It cannot wait until tomorrow. "The lovers will be meeting in the sitar's player humble abode" scene is the most important in the production. We'll work on it tonight until I'm completely satisfied.

**Dan: **But my dear--

**Piper: **Dear Dan, excuse me.

**Leo:** I'm sorry.

**Morris:** Bright and early tomorrow morning, we'll begin on act two; "The lovers are discovered!"  
(Leo and Piper are kissing passionately on the balcony of the theatre. They are out of sight to all (almost))

**Dan: **Morris!

**Morris:** My dear Dan, everything is arranged for that special supper in the Gothic Tower tonight.

**Dan: **Oh yes, eat it yourself Morris. Her affections are waning...

**Morris:** Impossible!

**Dan: **I understand how important your work is to her, but she's always at it with that damn writer. (Morris spots them kissing) If I don't see her tonight, I'm bally well leaving!

**Morris:** No, dear Dan! I'll insist Piper takes the night off.

**Dan: **All right, all right... eight o' clock then.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Leo:** You'll come? Tonight?

**Piper: **Yes.

**Leo:** What time?

**Piper: **Eight o' clock.

**Leo:** Promise?

**Piper: **Yes...go!

**Morris:** Are you mad? Dan holds the deeds to the Moulin Rouge. He's spending a fortune on you. He's given you a beautiful new dressing room. He wants to make you a star. And you're dallying with the writer?

**Piper: **Oh...Darryl, don't be ridiculous--

**Morris:** I SAW YOU TOGETHER!

**Piper: **It's nothing, It's just an infatuation. It's nothing.

**Morris:** The infatuation will end. Go to the boy; tell him it's over. Dan is expecting you in the Tower at eight.

**Piper: **If I should die this very moment...I wouldn't fear. For I've never known completeness. Like being here, wrapped in the warmth of you...loving every breath of you. Why live life from dream to dream? And dread the day...gasps and coughs.

_How could I know in those last fatal days-- _

(Piper coughs violently)  
_That force darker than jealousy, and stronger than love, had begun to take hold of Satine..._

(Piper coughs frantically and faints)  
**Morris:** Where is she?

-------------

**Prue:** Do you think she'll be up and about by tonight?

**Doctor:** Tomorrow morning at the earliest.

-------------

**Man:** Dan's leaving!

**Morris:** SHE'S CONFESSING!

**Dan: **Confessing? What kind of imbecile do you take me for Morris?

**Morris:** She suddenly had a terrible desire to go to a priest and confess her sins.

**Dan: **What?

**Morris:** She wanted to be cleansed of her former life. She says she looks upon tonight as her wedding night.

**Dan: **Her wedding night?

**Morris:** She's like a blushing bride...she says you make her feel like a...v--virgin.

**Dan: **Virgin?

**Morris:** You know...touched for the very first time.

**Dan: **The first?

**Morris:** She says it feels so good...inside...when you hold her...and you touch her...

**Dan: **Like a virgin?

**Morris:** (spoken) She's made it through the wilderness somehow.  
She's made it through.  
She didn't know how lost she was!  
Until she found you.  
(sung)She was beat, incomplete. She'd been had! She was sad and blue...  
But you made her feel...Yes you ma-a-a-ade her feel...shiny and new!  
Ahh! Like a virgin! Touched for the very first time!  
Like a vir-ur-ur-ur-gen...Your hearts beat both in time!  
I give you all her love! Her fear is fading fast! Been saving it all for you!  
Only love can last! She's so fine and she's mine. She'll be yours until the end of time.  
'Cause you made her feel...Yes you ma-a-a-ade her feel. She has nothing to hide!   
Like a virgin! Touched for the very first time!  
Like a vir-ur-ur-ur-gen. Your hearts beat both in time.  
Like a virgin! Feels so good inside!  
When you hold her... and you touch her...and ohh...ohhh!

**Dan: **She's so fine. And she's mine. Makes me strong. Yes she makes me burn...and her love thawed off... Yes her lo-uh-uh-uh-uve thawed off what was scared and cold!

**Morris:** Like a virgin!

**Both:** Touched for the very first time! Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.

**Morris:** Like a vir-ur-ur-ur-gen!

**Dan: **When your hearts beat both in time!

**Morris:** Like a virgin!

**Dan: **Feels so good inside!

**Morris:** When you hold her...! And you touch her...! And you hold her...! And you touch her...!

**Both:** La-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhhh...! Like a viirrrrrrgeeen!

------------

_Darryl Morris's brilliant lies have once again averted a disaster. But no lie however brilliant can save Piper. _

**Doctor:** Monsieur Morris, Mademoiselle Piper is dying. She has consumption.

**Morris:** My little sparrow is dying? She mustn't know Prue. The show must go on.

---------------

_All night, the penniless sitar player had waited. And now for the first time, he felt the cold stab of jealousy. _

**Leo:** Where were you last night?

**Piper: **I told you, I was sick

**Leo:** You don't have to lie to me.

**Piper: **We have to end it. Everyone knows. Darryl knows, and sooner or later Dan will find out too. On opening night I have to sleep with Dan. And the jealousy will drive you mad.

**Leo:** Then I'll write a song. And--and we'll put it in the show and no matter how bad things get, or whatever happens, whenever you hear it or when you sing it or whistle it or hum it, it will then you'll know it, it will mean--it'll mean we love one another. I won't get jealous.

**Piper: **Things don't work that way Leo. We have to end it.

**Leo:** Never knew I could feel like this. Like I've never seen the sky before. Want to vanish inside your kiss...


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Leo:** (spoken) Now this new scene is the scene where the...sitar player writes a secret song for the courtesan, so that whatever is happening...what--however bad things are that they--they remember their love and then...We can take it from your line Piper. So let's take it.

**Piper: **(spoken) We can't do this...

**Argentinean:** (spoken) Fear not, we will conduct our love affair right under the Maharaja.

**Leo:** Seasons may change, winter to spring...  
(Argentinean collapses)

**Morris:** (spoken)Honestly amigo, this is impossible.

**Leo:** But I love you, until the end of time. Come what may, come what may. I will love you until my dying day.

-----------

**Both Piper & Leo:** Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place...

**Dan: **(spoken)My dear, a little frog!

**Piper and Leo:** Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace...  
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste.  
It all revolves around you.   
And there's no mountain too high,  
no river too wide!  
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side.  
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide.

**Leo:** But I love you

**Piper: **I love you

**Leo:** Until the end

**Piper: **Until the end

**Both:** Of time.. Come what may, come what may, I will love you...

**Leo:** (spoken)The magical sitar player falls from the roof and says "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return"

**Phoebe:** (spoken - to Dan) This ending's silly. Why would the courtesan go for the penniless writer? Whoops! I mean sitar player...

**Cast:** Come What May - I will love you - Come what may, I will love you til my dying day.

**Dan: **I don't like this ending.

**Morris:** Don't like the ending, my dear Dan?

**Dan: **Why would the courtesan choose a penniless sitar player over the Maharaja who is offering a lifetime of security? That's real love. Once the sitar player has satisfied his lust he will leave the courtesan with nothing. I suggest that in the end the courtesan choose the Maharaja.

**Toulouse:** But, but, but surely! Surely but that ending does not uphold the Bohemian ideals of Truth, Beauty, Freedom and...

**Dan: **I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR RIDICULOUS DOGMA! Why SHOULDN'T the courtesan choose the Maharaja?

**Leo:** Because she doesn't LOVE YOU!  
(horrified silence)  
**Leo:** H-Him... H-Him, she doesn't love - she doesn't love him

**Dan: **Oh, I see. So, Morris, this ending will be rewritten with the courtesan choosing the Maharaja and WITHOUT the lover's "secret song". It will be rehearsed in the morning ready for the opening tomorrow night.

**Morris:** My... my dear Dan. That will be quite impossible!

**Piper: **Morris! Poor Dan is being treated apallingly! These silly writers let their imaginations run away with them. Now why don't you and I have a little supper, and then afterwards we can let Monsieur Morris know how we want the story to end. Hmm?

-----------

**Piper: **Thank you, Prue.

**Leo:** I don't want you to sleep with him.

**Piper: **He could destroy everything... It's for us... You promised... you promised me you wouldn't be jealous, you pro-... it will be alright, yes, it will. He's waiting for me...

**Leo:** No

**Piper sings:** Come what may...

**Leo:** Come what may...

------------

_She had gone to the tower to save us all. And for our part we could do nothing but wait_.

**Piper: **My dear Dan. I hope I have not kept you waiting...

**Phoebe:** Don't worry Shakespeare! You'll get your ending... Once the duke gets his... end.. in (Leo tries to hurt her) You keep your 'ands off me!

**Argentinean:** Never fall in love with a woman who sells herself. It always ends BAD!

**Piper: **The boy has a ridiculous obsession with me. I mean, I... I indulge his fantasy because he's talented. We need him... but only until tomorrow night...

**Argentinean:** (spoken) We have a dance in the brothels of Buenos Aires. It tells the story of prostitution and a man... who falls in love... with her. First there is desire. Then passion. Then... suspicion! Jealousy, anger, betrayal! When love is for the highest bidder, there can be no trust. Without trust there is no love. Jealousy, yes, jealousy, will drive you, will drive you... MAD!  
(sung) Roxanne... you don't have to put on that red light. Walk the streets for money, you don't care if it's wrong or if it is right. Roxanne! You don't have to wear that dress tonight... Roxanne. You don't have to sell your body to the night!

**Leo:** His eyes upon your face, his hand upon your hand, his lips caress your skin. It's more than I can stand!

**Argentinean/ Leo:** Roxanne/Why does my heart cry?  
Roxanne/Feelings I can't fight!  
**Leo:** You're free to leave me but just don't decieve me and please belive me when I say I love you!

**Dan: **(spoken) If this production suceeds you will no longer be a can-can dancer. You will be... an actress. I will make you... a star. (he brings out a necklace) A gift... from this Maharaja to his courtesan.

**Piper: **(spoken) And... and the ending?

**Dan: **(spoken) Let Morris keep his fairy tale ending...

**Argentinean/ Leo:** Roxanne, you don't have to put on that red light/Why does my heart cry?  
Roxanne, you don't have to wear that dress tonight/Feelings I can't fight...

**Argentinean:** Roxanne

**Leo:** You're free to leave me but just don't deceive me and please believe me when I say I love you.

(Leo is now beneath the balcony where Dan and Piper are. Piper spots him.)  
**Piper: **Come what may... I will love you until my dying day (spoken) No!

**Dan: **(spoken) No? (sees Leo) Oh, I see... it's our vey own penniless sitar player.

**Piper: **(spoken) Dear Dan..

**Dan: **(spoken) SILENCE! You.. made me... believe... that you loved me...  
(Dan starts to hit and abuse/rape Piper)

**Argentinean:** Roxanne...

**Leo:** Why does my heart cry? Feelings I can't fight.

**Chorus/Argentinean:** Why does my heart cry/You don't have to put on that red light  
Feelings I can't fight/ Roxanne, you don't have to put on that dress tonight.

**Argentinean:** ROXANNE!

**Leo:** Roxanne! Feelings I can't fight...

**Dan: **Feelings I can't fight!

**Leo:** Roxanne...

(Chocolat punchs Dans lights out)


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Piper: **(sobbing) I couldn't! I couldn't go through with it! I saw you there and I... I felt you in me and I couldn't pretend... And Dan... he saw... he saw and he... and he... I love you...

**Leo:** It's ok, ok...

**Piper: **And I couldn't do it, I don't wanna pretend anymore. I don't wanna lie... i don't... and he knows... he knows... he saw!

**Leo:** It's alright, you don't have to pretend anymore. We'll leave! We'll leave tonight.

**Piper: **Leave? Wh.. Wh.. the show...

**Leo:** I don't care... I don't care about the show. We love each other and that's all that matters.

**Piper: **Yes... yes. As long as we have each other. We have each other.

**Leo:** Chocolat, take Miss Piper to her dressing room and get the things she needs. No-one must see you, do you understand?

**Chocolat:** I understand.

**Leo:** Darling, you go and pack and I'll be waiting.

--------------

**Dan: **It's the boy. He... he has bewitched her with words. I want her back, Morris. Find her. Tell her that the show WILL end my way and she will come to me when the curtain falls. Or I'll have the boy killed.

**Morris:** Killed?

**Dan: **Killed.

---------------

**Morris:** Forgive the intrusion, cherub.

**Piper: **You're wasting your time Darryl.

**Morris:** Poppet, you don't understand. Dan is going to kill Leo.

**Piper: **What? No...

**Morris:** Dan is insanely jealous. Unless you do his ending and sleep with him tomorrow night, Dan will have Leo killed.

**Piper: **He can't scare us!

**Morris:** He's a powerful man. You know he can do it. What are you doing?

**Piper: **I DON'T NEED YOU ANYMORE! All my life you made me believe I was only worth what someone would pay for me! But Leo loves me. He loves me, Darryl. He loves me. And that is worth everything. We're going away from you, away from Dan, away from the Moulin Rouge! Goodbye, Darryl.  
(she starts to leave)

**Morris:** You're dying Piper. You're dying.

**Piper: **Another trick Darryl.

**Morris:** No, my love. The doctor told us.

**Piper: **Prue? (Prue nods) I'm dying.

**Piper: **I'm dying...  
I was a fool to believe.  
A fool to believe.  
It all ends today.  
Yes, it all ends today...

**Morris:** (spoken) Send Leo away. Only you can save him.

**Piper: **(spoken)He'll fight for me.

**Morris:** (spoken)Yes. Unless he believes you don't love him.

**Piper: **(spoken)What?

**Morris:** (spoken)You're a great actress, Piper. Make him believe you don't love him.

**Piper: **(spoken)No.

**Morris:** (spoken)Use your talent to save him. Hurt him. Hurt him to save him. There is no other way. The show must go on, Piper. We're creatures of the underworld. We can't afford to love.

**Piper: **Today's a day...

**Both:** When dreaming ends.

**Morris:** Another hero.  
Another mindless crime.  
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime.  
On and on... does anybody know what we are living for?

**Morris and Women:** What ever happened? We leave it all to chance. Another heartache. Another failed romance. On and on... does anybody know what we are living for?

**Morris:** The show must go on!  
The show must go on!

**Morris:** ** and Women:** Outside the dawn is breaking on the stage that holds our final destiny...  
The show must go on!  
The show must go on!

**Piper: **Inside my heart is breaking.  
My makeup may be flaking  
But my smile still stays on...

**Morris:** The show must go on!  
The show must go on!

**Piper: **I'll top the bill!  
I'll earn the kill!  
I have to find the will to carry on...

**Morris and Piper: **...with the  
On... with the  
On... with the show!

**Morris:** On with the show!  
On with the show!  
The show... must... go on!

-----------

(Piper enters)  
**Leo:** What's wrong?

**Piper: **I'm staying with Dan. After I left you Dan came to see me and he offered me everything, everything that I've ever dreamed of. He has one condition - that I must never see you again. I'm sorry.

**Leo:** What are you talking about?

**Piper: **You knew who I was.

**Leo:** What are you saying, what about last night? What we said...

**Piper: **I didn't expect you to understand. The difference between you and I is that you can leave anytime you choose. But this is my home. The Moulin Rouge is my home.

**Leo:** No. There must be something else- this can't be real! There's something the matter, tell me what it is... Tell me what's wrong! Tell me the truth! Tell me the truth!

**Piper: **The truth? The truth is I am the Hindi courtesan. And I choose... the Maharaja. That's how the story really ends.

**Morris:** ** (voiceover):** The jealousy has driven him mad!

------------

(Leo is stood outside the Moulin Rouge in the rain)  
**Leo:** PIPER! PIPER! Piper!  
(Two guards grab him, and he struggles. Finally, one of the guards punches him and he is then thrown on the ground)

------------

**Toulouse:** Things aren't always as they seem.

**Leo:** Things are exactly the way they seem.

**Toulouse:** Leo, you may see me only as a drunken, lice-ridden gnome whose friends are just pimps and girls from the brothels. But I know about art and love - if only because I long for it with every fiber of my being. She loves you. I know it - I know she loves you.

**Leo:** Go away Toulouse. (he stays) Go... away... (he stays) GO AWAY!

---------------

_I wanted to shut out what Toulouse had said. But he had filled me with doubt. And there was only one way to be sure. (Leo goes to a pawn shop, where he trades in his typewriter for a large sum of money) I had to know. So I returned to the Moulin Rouge. One... last ... time... _

**Morris:** (spoken) She is mine!

**Toulouse:** I only speak the truth  
I only speak the truth  
I only speak the truth  
I only speak the truth  
I only speak the truth  
I only speak the truth  
I only speak the truth  
I only speak the truth

**Phoebe:** Chamma chamma he chamma chamma  
Chamma chamma, baajare meri bendariya  
Re chamma chamma, baajere meri bendariya  
Tere paas aawoun teri  
Saanson mein samavoun  
Chamma chamma he chamma chamma  
Chamma chamma, baajare meri bendariya  
Re chamma chamma, baajere meri bendariya  
baajere meri bendariya   
bendariya  
He chamma chamma he chamma chamma  
Chamma chamma, baajare meri chamma  
( Ohhh )  
baajare meri bendariya  
baajere meri  
Tere paas aawoun teri  
Saanson mein samavoun  
Saanson mein samavoun raja  
Saanson mein samavoun raja

**Piper: **Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh (she coughs and almost faints)  
Kiss... hand... diamonds best friend.  
Kiss... grand... diamonds best friend.  
Men cold... girls old...  
And we all lose our charms in the end.  
Ohh... ohh... ohh...ohhh!  
Diamonds are a  
Diamonds are a  
Diamonds are a  
Diamonds are a  
Diamonds are a  
Diamonds are a  
Diamonds are a  
Diamonds are a  
Girl's... best... friend.

**Morris:** She is mine

**Dan: **She is mine


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Toulouse:** I know she still loves him... there's got to be a reason...

**Argentinean:** How 'bout one of them is a duke and the other (he falls asleep)

**Toulouse:** Something's wrong...

------------

(Piper is coughing)  
**Prue:** A bit more for me lovey, there you go...

------------

**Warner:** The boy is here...

**Morris:** I told Satine that if Leo were to come near her he would be killed!

**Warner:** He very soon will be...

**Toulouse:** He will be killed... that's it! That's why she's pushing him away - to save him! That's it, that's it! LeO! Oh god this is high up!

-------------

(Leo appears at the door to Piper's dressing room)  
**Leo:** I've come to pay my bill.

**Piper: **You shouldn't be here Leo. Just leave.

--------------

**Toulouse:** Be killed, killed... killed! I must warn him!

**Leo:** You made me believe that you loved me! Why shouldn't I pay you?

**Piper: **Please...

**Prue:** She's got to get on the stage!

**Morris:** Jealousy has driven the sitar player into hiding!

**Leo:** If it's you job, you did it very, very well... Why can't I pay you like everyone else does?

**Piper: **Leo, it's nothing just leave...

**Morris:** But I have found him!

**Piper: **(sees Warner with a gun) Go. Please go...

**Leo:** But if it wasn't real...

**Piper: **Go...

**Leo:** Why can't I pay you?

**Toulouse:** Leo! Leo!

**Morris:** Open the doors!

**Leo:** Let me pay! Let me pay!

**Morris:** Open the doors!

**Leo:** Tell me it wasn't real! Tell me you don't love me!

**Morris:** Open the doors!

**Leo:** Tell me you don't love me! Tell me you don't love me!  
(the doors open, leaving Leo and Piper exposed to the audience)

**Morris:** Ha Ha Ha! I am not fooled! Though he has shaved off his beard and adopts a disguise, mine eyes do not lie! For it is he! The same, penniless sitar player! Driven mad by jealousy!

**Leo:** This woman is yours now. I've paid my whore. I owe you nothing. And you are nothing to me. Thank you for curing me of my ridiculous obsession with love.  
(Leo walks down the aisle of the theatre)

**Toulouse:** I can't remember my line!

**Morris:** This sitar player doesn't love you! See, he flees the kingdom! (to Piper) Pumpkin, it's for the best. You know it is. The show must go on. (to Audience) And now my bride, it is time for you to raise your voice to the heavens and say your wedding vows!

**Toulouse:** I've got it! I've got it! Leo, stoooooooooopppppp! The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return!

**Piper: **Never knew  
I could feel like this  
Like I've never seen the sky before  
Want to vanish inside your kiss  
Every day I'm loving you more and more  
Listen to my heart  
Can you hear it sing  
Come back to me  
And forgive everything  
(she gasps)  
Seasons may change, winter to spring  
(whispers) But I love you  
(sings) til the end of time

**Leo:** Come what may  
Come what may  
Come what may  
Come what may  
I will love you

**Piper: **I will love you

**Leo:** Until my dying day  
**Piper: **Dying day

**Both:** Come what may

**Leo:** Come what may

**Piper: **Come what may

**Both:** I will love you until my dying...

**Toulouse:** (spoken) Leo! He's got a gun! They're trying to kill you!

**Morris:** (spoken) Shut up!

**Toulouse:** (spoken) Look, he's got a gun!

**Doctor:**Vive la vie la boheme!  
(utter chaos on stage - Argentinean wakes up and bursts through the doors)

**Argentinean:** No problem! Go back to work!

**Cast:** No matter what you say, you shouldn't stand in our way. You've got to stand your ground! For Freedom, Beauty, Truth and Love! Children of the Revolution...

**Piper: **I'll fly away

**Leo:** My gift is my song...

**Cast:** No, you won't fool the Children of the Revolution (repeated)

**Piper: **I'll fly away

**Leo:** My gift is my song!

**Cast:** Come what may

**Leo and Piper: **I will love you!

**Cast:** Come what may

**Leo and Piper: **Yes, I will love you!

**Cast:** Come what may

**Leo and Piper: **I will love you until my dying

(Dan picks up the gun which has somehow ended up in the aisle of the theatre. He points his gun at the lovers)  
**Dan:**(spoken)My way! My way! (Morris punches him and he falls to the ground)

**Leo and Piper: **day!

(audience applauds and cheers)  
**Man:** Stand by for curtain call! Dancers positions please!

(Piper coughs and wheezes)  
**Leo:** Piper! (she coughs more) Piper... Tell me, tell me, what's the matter? tell me... Piper.. what's the matter? God... oh my god! SOMEONE GET SOME HELP!

**Morris:** Fetch the doctor.

**Piper: **I'm sorry Leo. I... I... I... I'm dying

**Leo:** Shhh...

**Piper: **I'm so sorry.

**Leo:** You'll be all right. You'll be all right. All right...

**Piper: **I'm cold... I'm cold... cold... Hold me... You've got to go on Leo.

**Leo:** Can't go on without you though...

**Piper: **You've got so much... to give. Tell our story, Leo.

**Leo:** No...

**Piper: **Yes, yes... Promise me, promise me...

**Leo:** Yes

**Piper: **I will... I'll always be with you...  
(she dies. Leo starts to sob)

---------------

**Toulouse sings:** There was a boy... a very strange enchanted boy...

_Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and then - one not-so-very-special day, I went to my typewriter, I sat down, and I wrote our story. A story about a time. A story about a place. A story about the people. But above all things a story about love. A love that will live forvever. The End. _

**Singing:** The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love in return...

**THE END**


End file.
